In the upcoming February patch, ArenaNet will introduce a new sPvP map - Spirit Watch. Spirit Watch is norn-themed with features such as cliffs and shrines to the Spirits of the Wild. Not only that, but there will be a new secondary objective within the map.

It'll be the same conquest-style gameplay that you're used to, but instead of using flags, you'll be battling over an Orb of Ascension. Here's how it works:

At the beginning of each match, the Orb of Ascension spawns at an altar, located in the center of the map. In order to pick up the Orb, a player will have to successfully complete a very short commune time. The player carrying the Orb will want to take it to any of the three capture points —represented as shrines to Wolf, Raven and Bear—located up in the surrounding cliffs.

While carrying the Orb, the player still has access to all of their skills, but has a 40% movement speed penalty and is unable to stealth or gain swiftness. If they teleport or become downed, they will drop the Orb.

Once the Orb of Ascension is brought to a shrine capture point, the Spirit of the Wild at the shrine ascends, immediately scoring bonus points for your team. If it’s a capture point that your team controls, your team scores 30 points; if not, your team scores 15 points instead. Also, if the Orb is brought to an enemy point, in addition to the bonus points scored, the capture point will instantly become neutralized! The Orb resets to the altar 10 seconds later.

You can read the full blog article here, on the official Guild Wars 2 site.

I mean understand you have to keep portal in check but come on...You basically just killed mesmer. It has no utility and weapons spells of real use,that don't teleport, swiftness or stealth. It'll have to go straight condi/boon toughness build in order to touch the orb and not die. War/guardian only get better because on top of high armor and damage already, they have mutlitple 'leap' skills and stun breaks.

[size=4]At least give swiftness back. If you're worried about the out of combat movement speed just give the orb holder combat status when holding. There's got to be some form of tactics beside perma cripple, stun lock and their counters.[/size]

[size=4]Sigh i just need to be happy that there's a semi-new pvp mode. Even if its still conquest at heart. [/size]

Confirmed that it does, along with mist form and every other ele spell.
Overall, this is not close to interesting enough to get me to play SPvP again. Maps with CTF and no conquest, deathmatch and etc is what will get me back into SPvP.

If we want to casually pvp with a friend or two, we still need to go free tournament instead of hot join as a group ? Because last time we tried that we were fighting each other instead of being together.

[quote name='Fernling306' timestamp='1360807629' post='2163759']
Confirmed that it does, along with mist form and every other ele spell.
Overall, this is not close to interesting enough to get me to play SPvP again. Maps with CTF and no conquest, deathmatch and etc is what will get me back into SPvP.
[/quote] Confirmed how? where is your source? Are we to just take your word? do you work for Anet? And even if these do work whos to say that if you "Ride the lightning" you dont drop the orb same as if you Teleport?

Apparently if you want Team Deathmatch, make a Temple of the Silent Storm and ask everyone to avoid all capture points and only grab the Kill Point buff.

[quote name='Sevens' timestamp='1360840094' post='2163880']
Confirmed how? where is your source? Are we to just take your word? do you work for Anet? And even if these do work whos to say that if you "Ride the lightning" you dont drop the orb same as if you Teleport?
[/quote]

There's a thread on the Anet forums, you can go read it yourself there. They replied to a bunch of questions and even said Rangers are pretty good Orb-Runners and from my calculations they are right. Also, Warriors, Eles and apparently the Guardian can run faster than the Thief?? I don't know if my calculations went awry somewhere...